A Post-Summit Reflection with Chisom Udeze & Sayantani Saha In this raw and deeply honest episode of Overnight Wisdom, Chisom Udeze and Sayantani Saha sit down together—post-Diversify Summit—to unpack the emotional, financial, and logistical weight of pulling off the largest equity-focused gathering in the Nordics in a year defined by scarcity and uncertainty. With warmth, exhaustion, and truth-telling, they reflect on the paradox of doing something extraordinary while feeling under-suppo...

Shruti Ganguly is a filmmaker, writer, and creative entrepreneur whose work spans continents, cultures, and causes. In this episode of Overnight Wisdom, Shruti opens up about the life-altering loss that led her from banking to film, the complexities of navigating identity across geographies, and the discipline of building a purpose-driven creative career. We explore what it means to speak truth in an industry not built for you, how to lead with both clarity and empathy, and the quiet power of...

In this deeply reflective and expansive conversation, Dr. Yaba Blay — cultural critic, scholar, and author — joins Chisom Udeze to explore identity, race, and beauty through the lens of lived experience, history, and consciousness. Born in New Orleans to Ghanaian parents, Dr. Blay shares how growing up between cultures shaped her worldview — never fully “of” one place but belonging to both. She reflects on what it means to be first-generation, living between Ghanaian heritage and American cul...

In this solo episode, Overnight Wisdom host Chisom Udeze steps away from her usual seat as interviewer to share her own story — the lessons, losses, and wisdom behind about two decades of building. From founding a school in Nigeria, to leading global consulting work, to creating one of her companies, HerSpace — a women’s community born during the pandemic — Chisom reflects on what it means to build with purpose and to start over after things fall apart. She opens up about what didn’t work: ...

Wanjira Mathai is a formidable force in environmental advocacy, dedicated to advancing sustainable and equitable development across Africa and beyond. With over two decades of leadership experience, she has become a global voice for climate resilience, restoration, and social justice. She is the Managing Director for Africa and Global Partnerships at the World Resources Institute (WRI), where she drives strategies that center Africa’s role in shaping global solutions. In this role, she direct...

What does it really mean to lead Nigeria into the future? In this candid and fiery conversation, I sit down with my childhood friend, Prince (or Ifeanyi “Ify”, as I’ve always known him), to unpack the complex realities of Nigerian politics, religion, and identity. We explore the deep fault lines that shape leadership in Africa’s most populous nation: Why do religion and ethnicity still dominate political choices?Why has Nigeria recycled the same leaders for decades, despite little track recor...

Dayo Okusami is a partner at TEMPLARS, and one of Nigeria’s most respected transactional lawyers — a negotiator who lives where international practice meets local complexity. Born in Lagos and raised between Nigeria and the United States, Dayo returned to Nigeria early in his career with a conviction: that Nigerian institutions and markets could be shaped from within. He made partner in just four years, advising multinational investors and energy companies on multimillion-dollar deals, infras...

Courage in Action: Leadership in a Fractured World In this episode, recorded live at the Nobel Peace Center, Chisom Udeze and Sayantani Saha sit with the messy, urgent questions of our time: What does it mean to lead with courage in a world unraveling? How do we hold hope when governance is fragile, apathy is rising, and wars claim lives with impunity? From the future of work to the disruptions of AI, from global capital flows to the realities of geopolitical climate and conflict, they interr...

DJ Bwakali is a Kenyan writer, journalist, and pan-African organizer whose work spans climate advocacy, governance reform, and citizen media. He co-founded the Africa Youth Initiative on Climate Change and the Africa Youth Trust, and now hosts African Awakening, a platform dedicated to decolonizing education and mobilizing people power across the continent. His thesis is disarmingly practical: sovereignty is built, not begged for - through food systems that heal, visa-free movement that knits...

Babatunde Akinboboye is a Nigerian-American baritone and the creator of Hip Hopera — a groundbreaking fusion of classical opera and hip hop that has redefined how audiences experience both art forms. Born in the United States and raised partly in Lagos, Babatunde’s dual heritage has deeply shaped his identity and artistry. He embodies the richness of cultural intersection, bringing opera down from gilded stages and into spaces where rhythm, storytelling, and authenticity thrive. His viral per...

Lujang De’Nyangos is a South Sudanese artist whose journey through grief, displacement, and cultural fusion has shaped his sound and purpose. He discovered the healing power of music after the death of his father, realizing it was therapy not just for himself but for others. Having lived in South Sudan, Uganda, Egypt, and Kenya, his music carries influences of Arabic, Swahili, English, and African rhythms, blended into soulful melodies inspired by artists like Jonathan Butler. For Lujang, mus...

Thaïs Sala is a singer/songwriter, producer and cultural curator. She grew up between Marrakech and the UK before pursuing studies in Montreal, where she integrated a community of musicians with whom she continues to hone her sonic identity. An audiovisual addict, she approaches her craft through “sight, sound and soul”, pairing her passions for music and visual art, in stillness and movement. Her music blends electronic rhythm with soulful vocals oscillating from crystalline honeyed notes to...

Send us a text Chef Kuda is a Zimbabwean culinary visionary whose work transforms food into a powerful medium for storytelling, cultural reclamation, and connection. As the founder of Kandiro, his celebrated pop-up dining experience, he brings Zimbabwean flavors to global tables — reimagining traditional dishes while honoring their roots. Raised by three remarkable women, Chef Kuda discovered early that cooking could be both healing and transformative. His journey from a rebellious childhood ...

Send us a text This episode is a conversation about truth, visibility, and the emotional weight of teaching and motherhood. Joy Mbakwe share some reflections of what it means to live as a Black woman in the UK, raising children and educating other people’s children while navigating systems that were never designed with them in mind. The discussion moves through layers of identity and culture. Joy shares the unspoken inheritance of being the daughter of Nigerian parents, where resilience...

Send us a text This episode of Overnight Wisdom with Tendai Angela Rokkones is a radiant, soul-baring conversation between two women who hold deep reverence for self-discovery, ancestral wisdom, and spiritual reclamation. Tendai, Zimbabwe’s first Black certified female yoga teacher, shares her remarkable journey from studying law to building a healing-centered wellness business rooted in yoga, community, and rebellion. Through stories of her mother’s recovery, the sacredness of soft Black wom...

Send us a text In this solo episode of Overnight Wisdom, host Chisom Udeze reflects on the journey of building something from the ground up. With a guest unexpectedly absent, Chisom seizes the moment to explore the unseen weight of courage, the sacredness of the middle ground, and the emotional cost of starting anew. She speaks candidly about the challenges of podcasting, the discipline of consistency, and the grace required to remain in process when success is yet to arrive. This is an offer...

Send us a text Lord Lamba, born Kelvin Anagbogu, is a well known Nigerian digital storyteller. Known for his viral comedy skits that mirror the chaos, charm, and contradictions of everyday life, he has built a digital empire with over 13 million followers across platforms. But behind the laughter is a man shaped by survival, discipline, and an unwavering belief in possibility. A self-taught content creator, producer, and director, Lord Lamba turned scarcity into vision. His brand may be humo...

Send us a text In this profound episode, Chisom sits with Zimbabwean political activist, human rights defender, and founder of the Labour Economists and African Democrats (LEAD) party, Linda T. Masarira. From her early days as a labour rights advocate and train driver to becoming one of Zimbabwe’s most fearless political voices, Linda reflects on her journey of resistance, leadership, and purpose. She recounts the systemic injustices she witnessed and endured - gender-based discriminati...

Send us a text In the next episode of Overnight Wisdom, we sit with Ghanaian creative duo TwinsDntBeg - Samuel and Emmanuel Appiah Gyan - whose photography has not only captured presidents and celebrities but also the vibrant pulse of African identity. From rejected music demos to the halls of global influence, their journey is one of relentless reinvention, cultural reclamation, and visual storytelling rooted in purpose. We explore how rejection became redirection, why African stories must b...

Send us a text Today’s guest is Jameson Timba, a steadfast advocate for democracy whose name has become synonymous with courage, conscience, and conviction in Zimbabwe’s political narrative. A former Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister and a current leading figure within the Citizens Coalition for Change, Timba has long stood at the intersection of policy and principle. This is a man who has not only written legislation but has also lived its consequences, most recently spen...